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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · cell · branch · rush · pop · lie · mark · date

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cell — in biology
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pop — music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. branch — a division
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pop — soda
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com